1. Can social support during pregnancy affect maternal DNA methylation? Findings from a cohort of African-Americans.
- Author
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Surkan PJ, Hong X, Zhang B, Nawa N, Ji H, Tang WY, Ji Y, Kimmel MC, Wang G, Pearson C, and Wang X
- Subjects
- Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing genetics, Adenosine Triphosphatases genetics, Adult, Black or African American, Boston, Calmodulin-Binding Proteins genetics, Cardiac Myosins genetics, CpG Islands, DNA-Binding Proteins genetics, Epigenome, Epigenomics, Fathers, Female, Genome-Wide Association Study, Humans, Male, Membrane Proteins genetics, Minor Histocompatibility Antigens genetics, Molecular Chaperones genetics, Mothers, Myosin Heavy Chains genetics, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Pregnancy, Premature Birth epidemiology, Premature Birth ethnology, Retrospective Studies, Social Class, Transcription Factors genetics, Urban Population, Young Adult, DNA Methylation, Social Support
- Abstract
Background: While stress and the absence of social support during pregnancy have been linked to poor health outcomes, the underlying biological mechanisms are unclear., Methods: We examined whether adverse experiences during pregnancy alter DNA methylation (DNAm) in maternal epigenomes. Analyses included 250 African-American mothers from the Boston Birth Cohort. Genome-wide DNAm profiling was performed in maternal blood collected after delivery, using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 Beadchip. Linear regression models, with adjustment of pertinent covariates, were applied., Results: While self-reported maternal psychosocial lifetime stress and stress during pregnancy was not associated with DNAm alterations, we found that absence of support from the baby's father was significantly associated with maternal DNAm changes in TOR3A, IQCB1, C7orf36, and MYH7B and that lack of support from family and friends was associated with maternal DNA hypermethylation on multiple genes, including PRDM16 and BANKL., Conclusions: This study provides intriguing results suggesting biological embedding of social support during pregnancy on maternal DNAm, warranting additional investigation, and replication.
- Published
- 2020
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